A Barson New Year
by Meg0613
Summary: Barbra unexpectedly finds himself as Olivia and Noah's house guest For New Years when an unexpected storm keeps him there. This can be read with A Barson Thanksgiving and A Barson Christmas or as a stand alone.
1. Chapter 1

A Barson New Years

A/N So this was supposed to be a cute little New Year's Eve story about how Barson got together but as these things do it has morphed into a longer story. It can be read with A Barson Thanksgiving and A Barson Christmas or as a stand-alone.

Chapter One

December 30th, 2015

Liv pulled Noah's hat down over his ears and made sure his coat was pulled tightly around him. They had not gotten a white Christmas but it was looking like a would be a White New Years as five inches of snow had fallen on the city with more likely over the next few days. She had decided to take him out to play in before it got too bad. They had made their way to their favorite spot in the park where they could build a snowman and sled down the small hills. They had lasted about an hour before they were both too cold and wet to enjoy it any longer.

"You want to stop for a treat on the way home?" She asked him.

"Donuts?" He asked with a hopeful smile.

"Sure, what's one more treat before the New Year." Oliva laughed as they made their way her favorite pastry shop.

The scent of coffee and fresh baked pastries greeted them as they walked through the doors. Olivia felt a smile stretch across her lips when she heard a familiar voice at the counter say, "Dark roast, extra-large black, please."

"Thought about making, cut back on caffeine, a New Year's Resolution, Counselor?" She asked smiling when she saw him jump slightly at the sound of her voice.

"Liv, Noah, what brings you two here?" He asked them warmly.

"Rafi!" Noah yelled happy to see his friend for the first time since before Christmas.

"Hola Amigo."Barba said squatting down to receive the hug the boy was offering him and stood back up with him still in his arms.

"Jennifer, a large French roast with hazelnut cream, a blueberry muffin, a chocolate milk and your donut with the most sprinkles please." He said placing the exact order Oliva had planned on placing.

"Thanks, Barba, it's good to see you." She told him genuinely.

"Can, you guys sit for a minute or do you have to be somewhere?" He asked pointing to the tables.

"What do you think Noah can we stay a minute?" She asked knowing what his answer would be as he happily took the donut Barba offered him.

"Stay with Rafi!" he exclaimed causing both adults to laugh as they made their way to a table.

Oliva and Barba caught up and exchanged stories about their Christmas's Oliva talking in code about getting Santa stuff set up for Noah and Barba telling her about the craziness of his extended family on Christmas.

"Rafi, you need to come see my new toys." Noah told him, "You could make my 'mote control care go fast."

"Noah, Rafi has things to do." Olivia said quickly not wanting him to feel obligated.

"Remote control car? I can't turn that down, let's go." He said quickly grabbing a napkin and wiping the donut off the boy's face and hands.

Oliva smiled as she watched the interaction thinking back to the first awkward time Barba had held him and how far they had come. When they walked out of the café they were all surprised to find that the snow had picked up again.

"Wow, it's really coming down." Oliva said pulling Noah's coat tighter as she picked him up so they could make their way home a little quicker.

"Here, let me take him." Barba offered holding his arms out to the boy who went to him happily and squealed as he tossed him up on to his shoulders. "Now you can catch snowflakes, Amigo."

They made their way the couple of blocks up town to Oliva's apartment the snow growing heavier as they walked. They hung up their coats and piled their shoes buy Olivia's front door. Barba couldn't help himself when he saw Olivia pulled off her knit cap and her hair went everywhere speckled with little bits of snow that had made their way through. He reached out and wiped the snow off her hair standing a little closer and looking into her dark brown eyes a little longer than he would usually let himself.

"I'm close enough to kiss her." He thought and then quickly shook his head and moved his hand off her head with an awkward smile, "So where's this car Noah?" he asked turning his attention back to the boy.

Oliva stood there for a second wondering if he had been thinking what she was thinking in that moment, about how close their lips were and what they would feel like pressed against each other. She shook her head and muttered something about going to start a load of laundry in order to put some distance between them.

When she returned to the living room she found both of them spread on the floor with one of Noah's Lego sets open and spread out in front of them.

"I hope it's ok that we opened this. I haven't gotten to put Legos together in a long time." Barba said sheepishly.

"It's more than fine." She said sitting down on the couch and Barba noticed the stack of files on the coffee table.

"Working during you vacation?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Just trying to catch up a little paperwork when he's napping or a night." She explained.

"Well we will be at this for a while if you want to get some done." He offered.

"You sure you don't mind?" She asked him.

"Not at all." He assured her turning his attention back to the pile of bricks in front of him.

Oliva made her way to her desk with her files and lost herself quickly in her work, looking up periodically when she would hear the two of them laughing and talking. After a while she realized she was finishing up her last file and she looked down at her watch to see what time it was, surprised to see that it was after one o'clock she had been working for almost three hours and had left Barba playing with her son this whole time.

She made her way back in to the living room surprised to find them laying together on her couch a bowl of popcorn in front of them, watching Finding Dory.

"I'm so sorry Barba, I didn't realize…" she was cut off by Barba placing his finger over his lips and pointing down at Noah with his other hand. Oliva looked over the couch and saw that Noah was asleep next to him.

"I guess it is naptime." She said walking around the couch and scooping him up, "I'll go lay him down."

When she returned to the living room she found Barba looking at his phone then moving to her window, "Uh, Liv? Have you looked outside?" he asked nervously.

"No, I got wrapped up in what I was doing, why?" She asked joining him at the window to see that at least another foot of snow had fallen since they had returned home. For the first time she also noticed the wind howling outside.

"Liv we are under a blizzard warning, they are saying people should stay put wherever they are for the next twenty four hours to forty eight hours." He told her nervously knowing what that sounded like. "I should try and get an Uber quickly before it gets worse.' He added nervously.

Oliva shook her head, "Barba, you are not going to get in some strangers car in the middle of a blizzard. Make yourself comfortable because it looks like you are going to be with us for a while."

BarsonBarsonBarson

"Damn, it's cold out there." Barba said kicking off the snow from his shoes on Olivia's mat as he came back in. Once they realized that he couldn't make it home in the blizzard he made a mad dash for the convince store across just up the clock from Olivia's building before it closed. He had managed to grab himself the essentials for an overnight stay as well as some milk and a couple of other things that Olivia had needed.

"Well yes, Barba I have heard that cold is one of the elements that go into making a blizzard." Oliva said dryly earning her an eye roll from him as he set the bags of groceries on the counter.

"You're welcome." He said reminding her he had braved the blizzard.

"Thank you Barba," She said with a slight tease to her voice a she surveyed the contents of the bags. "Milk, bread, eggs, coffee, scotch? Really Barba?" she asked him.

"Hey, you said your house is my house." He responded with a grin picking up one of the cookies she had been baking and popping it into his mouth. "Where's Little Man?" He asked

"Time Out." She said pointing in the direction of his bedroom.

Barba raised an eyebrow, "What are the charges?"

Oliva rolled her eyes again, great her son now had a lawyer. "Refusing to clean up his toys and destruction of property upon refusal. "

"Is it his first offense?" He asked in the tone Olivia was well familiar with.

She laughed slightly, "Since naptime maybe."

"I need a moment with my client." He said as he walked towards Noah's room.

Oliva shook her head and turned back to the cookies and the pot of soup that was finishing on the stove. A few minutes later the two of them emerged from Noah's room. Noah looking contrite.

"I'm sorry Momma. " He told her sweetly, Olivia knelt down and hugged him, "Thank you Noah, now go finish cleaning up your toys so we can eat dinner."

"OK, is Rafi staying?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes, Rafi is staying." She told him looking over him towards Barba who was smiling obviously proud of himself. She stood back up and walked closer to him after Noah ran off, "You think you are pretty good don't you."

"I don't think I'm the only who thinks I'm pretty good." He said correctly reading the look on her face and then smiling when she had no comeback. "Come on, let's eat that soup smells great." He said gently pulling at her hand as he walked passed her and tugging her along.

They ate dinner together and Barba offered to clean up the dishes while Olivia got Noah bathed and in bed. After his bath Noah came out in his pajamas, "Bedtime hug Rafi."

"Buenos Noches Amigo, I will see you in the morning." Barba told him.

Oliva watched them and through back to Barba's earlier comment and knew he was right, yes she did think he was good, with Noah and with a lot of other things. "I won't be long." She told him her voice suggesting something she hadn't meant for it too.

Barba moved into the kitchen and pulled out the bottle of scotch and a bottle of wine and went to look for glasses, "I'll be here."

When she came back out she found Barba had changed into the pajama pants and tshirt he had bought at the convince store. Oliva had to laugh at the sight of him in an "I Love NY" shirt.

"Hey it was that or the Mets and I wasn't getting a Mets shirt." He explained before letting out a yawn.

"Did we wear you out today Counselor?" She teased.

"Seriously Liv, I don't know how you do it every day. You are running SVU one of the most demanding departments in the NYPD, and are still this incredible mom, you amaze me."

Oliva felt herself start to blush, "I do have help you know both a work and at home."

"Don't try that Lieutenant, I spend way too much time with you I know how hard you work at both. When was the last time you had more than five hours of sleep?" He asked her.

"I have no idea, even if I am off there is work to do and Noah gets up early so he's an alarm clock." She admitted.

"Well not tomorrow, tomorrow you are sleeping in. You finished all your work and I will be here so I can get up with Little Man." He told her in his the same tone that he would offer someone a deal that they knew they shouldn't refuse.

"A chance to sleep in? You don't have to tell me twice Barba. Good luck with your client in the morning, he can be a little cranky." She laughed.

"I'm sure I can manage, now how about a movie?" He asked flipping on her TV.

They settled on a comedy and Barba smiled as he watched Olivia try her best to stay awake. Her eyes would grow heavy and her head drop down.

"Liv, you can go to bed, you don't have to stay up with me." He finally told her.

"I'm sorry Barba, I guess I do need some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." She told him making her way to her room.

"Hey Liv," he said as she was walking away and waited for her to turn around, "thanks for today, it's been really nice."

Olivia's blushed a little for the second time that evening, "Yes it has, good night Barba."

Barba finished watching the movie and had just flipped the television off when he heard a noise coming from the back of the apartment. Without hesitating he got up to check stopping first at Noah's room thinking maybe he had woken up, but the boy was sound asleep in his bed. He hesitated for just a minute before continuing to Olivia's room he knocked lightly on the door and it opened and he saw her sitting up in bed half-awake a panic looked on her face.

"Liv, can I come in?" he asked softly not sure if she was awake or not.

"Barba" She said having almost forgotten he was there, "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"It's all right I wasn't asleep yet. Liv, how often are you having nightmares still?" He asked her walking in a sitting on the side of her bed.

"Not as often as I use to." She said hoping to avoid the conversation, of course she was unsuccessful.

"That doesn't make me feel better, will you tell me about it?" He asked her gently.

"It's the same one I've been having for a while, Lewis is back and this time he has Noah and I have to tell Noah all the things that he did to me and that I lied about what I did to him, then Noah is taken away because I lied and I'm an unfit mother." She told him this while staring down at her hands and she felt Barba's hands slide over hers as his voice took a tone she hadn't heard since she told him about Jonny D.

"Liv, look at me please." He waited for her to look up at him and he saw the tears streaking her face, "Nobody is ever taking Noah from you, Lewis is dead and you are an amazing mother."

"There are so many things I can never explain to him." She said tears continuing to fall.

"You don't have to explain it all to him, he knows you love him and that's what he needs to know the most." He wiped the tears off her face and puller her close to him, "Come here" he whispered as he settled them back against her pillows.

Oliva was too tired to argue or even think about why this might not be a good idea. She allowed his arms to wrap around her and hold her and she buried he tear stained face against his chest doing her best to not cry anymore. She relaxed when she felt his hand run through her hair, she could not remember the last time someone had held her like this.

"Do you mind if I close my eyes for a minute?" She asked him and his heart broke and the vulnerability in her voice.

"Rest Liv, I have nowhere to go." He whispered.

"I'm glad you are here Barba," She said before falling asleep against him.

"Me too." He said while thinking that he wished he could be there any time she had a dream like that.

He fell asleep holding her and woke several hours later one arms still around but they were now facing each other. He watched her as she slept peacefully and he was reminded once again how beautiful she was and how complex she was. Part of him knew he should slide out of her bed and return to the couch but he could not bring himself to do so. He watched her for several minutes finally falling back asleep until he heard Noah coming down the hallway. He quietly got out of bed to find the boy before he could wake her.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A Barson New Year

Chapter Two

December 31st 2015

Before Olivia opened her eyes she was aware of a familiar scent around her, the scent was out of place though. Why did her bed smell like Barba? Memories of the previous day filled her mind, running into Barba at the pastry shop, him playing with Noah, the blizzard, then yes she remembered him coming into her room after a nightmare. She remembered the soft look on his face and the feel of his arms around her as she fell back asleep. She wondered how long he had stayed there holding her, she wondered how she would face him this morning. She could hear voices down the hall and knew she need to get up and face them.

She made her way to the bathroom, checking her reflection in the mirror she thought about showering but decided after spending the night in bed together it probably didn't matter. She brushed her teeth and headed out to see what Noah and her house guest were doing. She found them in the kitchen music playing and breakfast cooking.

"Morning" She said tentatively as she watched them.

Barba jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, "Good morning." He greeted her warmly showing no awkwardness over the previous night.

"Momma, we made breakfast!" Noah told her proud their accomplishment.

"I see that." She said with a smile and she took the cup of coffee Barba offered her. "Thank you"

"What are they saying about the weather?" She asked looking at what appeared to be several feet of snow outside.

"It's stopped snowing, now they are working on clean up." He said and Olivia felt his hand on the small of her back and she turned back to him.

"You all right this morning?" He asked her quietly

"Yes, I'm sorry about last night." She said feeling suddenly awkward.

Barba pulled her a little closer. "I am glad I could be there, please don't apologize. Liv, I care about you and I wish I could be there for you more."

Olivia felt her hand slide up his chest as she looked into his eyes trying to figure out exactly what he was offering. She felt his arm wrap around her a little tighter and him pull her closer to himself.

"Barba…"She said in a voice she could barely hear herself.

"Momma, Rafi, I'm hungry." Noah called from the kitchen and Oliva felt herself jump back from the embrace.

"Ok, Baby, we are coming." She said turning to go back to the kitchen.

"Liv," She recognized the tone of voice it's the one he used when he was tired of arguing with her and didn't know what else to say. She turned back to him and place her hand back on his chest, "Later, I promise." She told him before placing a kiss on his cheek.

They spent the rest of the day playing and watching movies with Noah. The air between them had changed though. There were little touches throughout the day when they would pass each other. At one point Olivia was sitting on the floor playing with Noah when she felt Barba staring at her. She met his eyes and felt herself blush again when she saw the look on his face, it was a mix of desire and something else that she could not identify.

"So I guess we need to figure out how we are going to celebrate the New Year." Barba said as they were finishing the dishes from dinner.

"Wow, I had forgotten that it was New Year's Eve," Liv admitted and suddenly she wondered what Barba's plans had been. "Did you have plans?"

Barba stepped closer to again not attempting to hide his feelings, "This is where I want to start my New Year." Then he suddenly stepped back when a thought occurred to him. "Do you have any grapes?"

Oliva looked at him in confusion, "Yes, I think so. Why?"

Barba smiled, "Tradition"

Olivia had no idea what he was talking about, "I'm going to put Noah to bed."

Barba shook his head and handed her a glass of wine, "I'll put him to bed you go relax."

"Barba, you don't have to do that, you've done a lot today." She protested.

"I know I don't have to but I want to. Come on Amigo, bedtime. Tell Momma you will see her next year" He said scooping the boy up before Olivia could argue with him.

"See you next year Momma.' Noah called back down the hall.

Olivia surveyed the living room that looked like a tornado had gone through it after Noah having spent the better part of two days inside she started to pick up when she heard Barba yell out, "I said relax, not clean."

"You sure are a bossy house guest." She yelled back and then a smile crossed her lips, "OK, I guess I will just go slip into a bubble bath." She chuckled when she heard Barba mutter something under his breath.

She filled the tub with hot water and bubbles and sank down into it. She had no clue what was going on with Barba but it felt good. There was no mistaking the way he looked at her and it had been a long time since someone looked at her that way and he was currently putting her son to bed. Never in a million years did she imagine this is how she would be spending New Year's Eve but she certainly did not mind. She sat up suddenly when she heard Barba's voice then she realized she had left the monitor on in Noah's room. She listened as he finished reading two books then she heard Noah's sleepily voice.

"I love you Rafi." He said and Oliva waited nervously to see how Barba would react.

"I love you too Amigo" He said without hesitating and Olivia felt her heart swell because those were not words her son heard from a lot of people.

"You love Momma too Rafi?" Noah asked and Olivia felt herself begin to panic.

"I do Noah, your Momma is very special." Barba said his voice soft and low. "You need to get to sleep now Little Man."

"Sing a song?" Noah asked

"Of course." Barba said and began singing a song that Olivia imagined must be a Spanish lullaby of some kind. She sat in the tub listening to him and thinking about what he had said and what she should do and decided it was best not to say anything for now. She let the water out of her tub and dressed in a tank top and pair of yoga pants. She found Barba in the living room building a fire in her rarely used fireplace.

"If you burn my building down you better be prepared to have Noah and me as long term house guest." She teased.

He turned from the fireplace and took in the sight of her, he had seen Olivia dressed to kill for formal occasions but none of that compared to how she looked right then. Her hair was still slightly damp from her bath and falling around her bare shoulders, the pair of yoga pants she had on curved her hips and at that moment Barba was sure they were the sexiest thing he had ever seen any woman in. He knew that he couldn't wait any longer as he crossed the room to her and placed a hand on her hip.

"I'm willing to take that chance." He said and Olivia knew he wasn't talking about the fire.

"It's a big risk, Barba." She said with her voice shaking.

"Fire always is, but without it we are left cold and in the dark." He countered, ever the lawyer.

"Our jobs" She reminded him.

"Have already kept us from too much happiness."

"You cannot break Noah's heart if this doesn't work." She warned him her voice serious and stern.

He moved one hand to her face and looked into her eyes, "I have no intention of this not working, and I would never do anything that would hurt Noah."

"You win" She whispered knowing she had no arguments he could not counter because what was going on between them was too strong to be denied.

"We all win" he said before softly covering her lips with his softly at first but didn't hesitate when he felt her deepen it. They ended up on the floor in front of the blankets he had laid out in front of the fire their hands exploring each other as their kisses continued. Olivia felt her body shudder as Barba ran his hand inside her tank top. He stopped his kissed along her neck and looked her in the eyes.

"Is this too fast?" He asked her not wanting to rush her. She answered him by pulling her tank top off a tossing it to the side before reclaiming his lips.

Afterward they lay wrapped in each other's arms and blankets in front on the fire. Olivia sat up slightly and looked at Barba, "I need to make a confession."

Barba pulled her down for another kiss, "Anything less than murder and I am pretty sure I would let you walk right now."

"I heard you over the baby monitor earlier with Noah."

Barba smiled at her, "And?"

"I liked the song you sang him." She teased.

"Oh, that's what you liked. I thought you might have meant the part where I told him that I love you." He said like it was no big deal as he twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers.

"Did you mean it?" She asked seriously

"Do I ever say anything that I don't mean?" He asked her just as seriously.

"No and I am glad because I love you." Kissing him once again before laying back down next to him.

"Hey, what time is it?" He asked looking around for a clock

"It's five minutes until midnight." She said finding spotting the clock on the mantle of the fireplace.

"I'll be right back." He told her wrapping himself in a blanket and running to the kitchen, he returned a few minutes later with a bottle of cheap champagne he had managed to get at the convince store, and two plates of grapes.

"What's with the grapes?" She asked

"In Cuba at midnight you eat twelve grapes making a wish for each month of the New Year." He explained.

Olivia smiled at the sweetness of the tradition, "OK, I'm game."

The watched as the clock ticked down and struck midnight and Olivia moved in to kiss Barba. He held a grape up to her lips.

"Grapes and champagne first. Remember a wish for each month." He said placing one in her mouth then popping one in his own. "And you have to be quick." He said gesturing with his hands for her to hurry. They finished their grapes and washed it down with the champagne.

"To the New Year and be here eating grapes together again" Barba said as a toast.

Olivia leaned in and kissed him, "Could we eat grapes somewhere warmer next year?"

"Definitely" He agreed before pulling her back down on to the blankets with him.

December 31st 2016

Olivia stood on the porch watching the tide roll in and out and the stars reflect of the shimmering water of the ocean just outside of Miami. She listened to the sounds of Cuban music filling the air and fireworks being shot out in advance on the New Year. Barba came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her moving her hair to place kisses along her neck even in the moonlight he could see the tan on her skin from five days in the sun.

"Is he finally asleep?" She asked

Barba groaned, "I think so but in our bed."

Olivia turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, "We did just fine without a bed last New Year's."

"That we did, you have the grapes?" He asked

She took him by the hand as they settled on the blankets she had laid on the beach just off the porch grapes and champagne waiting for them.

"So did all your wishes come true this year?" She asked him as she relaxed into his arms.

"Do you really have to ask?" He laughed as he played with her engagement ring.

"So what do we have left to wish for?" She asked him.

"The same thing I wished for this year, that we keep getting better at us every month." He said before placing the first grape in her mouth as the cheering and fireworks told them that the New Year had arrived.

"To the New Year and being here eating grapes together again." She told him as they kissed in the start of their second year together.

The End


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